Shallow Tales Review Opens Submissions for Issue 22

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The Shallow Tales Review has opened its submission window for Issue 22, accepting entries until May 31st, 2025. 

Founded to celebrate narratives that center the African and Black experience, The Shallow Tales Review publishes fiction, poetry, essays, photography, translations, and more. The publication appears three times a year;  in January, June, and November and has been recognized with a BSFA nomination. It also nominates published works for the AKO Caine Prize for African Writing and its own Best of a Shallow Year award.

The publication encourages creative freedom and genre-blending but maintains certain submission standards.

Submission Guidelines:

  • Accepted categories: fiction, creative nonfiction, book reviews, poems, one-act plays, cultural/social essays, translations, and art photography
  • Literary criticism must focus on African or modern texts (published within the last 5 years)
  • All entries must reflect or engage with the African or Black condition
  • Do not submit horror, sci-fi, travelogues, or purely sociological works (unless they have strong literary merit)
  • Only unpublished works are considered
  • Reprints are not allowed
  • One submission per genre per submission window
  • Prose entries: 1,500–4,000 words, in .doc or .docx format
  • Poetry: Maximum 40 lines per poem, up to 3 poems per submission
  • Entries must be single-spaced, 12pt Times New Roman, no identifying info in the document
  • File should be saved with the title of the piece (or first poem, if poetry)
  • In the body of your email, include:
    • A short cover letter
    • Genre of work
    • Word count (for prose) or number of poems
    • A brief author bio
    • Any relevant context
  • Email addresses for submission:

For full details, click here. 

Best of luck to all applicants!

Bakare Oluwatobiloba

I write to educate, motivate and define history with literature. Just being me!